During the press conference on the margin of the summit born in L’Aja, in the Netherlands, the President of the United States Donald Trump commented in satisfied with the nickname “Daddy” (Paparino) Avibbbbiata by the Secretary General of the Alliance, Mark Rutte. “I think I liked him,” said Trump, smiling in front of journalists, while behind him the secretary of state Marco Rubio has not hidden an ironic expression. “If this is not the case, I will let you know, I will come back and tap him hard,” added Trump. “Paparino (Daddy, in English) every now and then he must use strong words,” Rutte said after Trump had defined Iran and Israel as “two kids who beat at school”.
🚨 LMAO! Marco Rubio Absolutely Lost His Composure in The Background As Trump is Asked About Born Secretary General Calling Him “Daddy.” 🤣
Reporter: “Mark Rutte, The NATO Chief, He Called You ‘Daddy’ Earlier … do you regard your born Allies As Children?”
Rubio: 🤣🤣🤣
Trump: … pic.twitter.com/ejetjqjel
– Eric Daugherty (@ericldaugh) June 25, 2025
The nickname comes in the aftermath of a message sent to a private chat in Trump in which Rutte praised “the extraordinary action” of the US administration against Iran. The message was relaunched by Trump himself on his social channels, fueling embarrassment among the leaders of the 31 member countries of the alliance, on the eve of the born summit in which the increase in military spending up to 5 percent of GDP was approved by 2035 – an objective that even in this case Rutte explicitly attributed to Trump’s leadership.
To the question of journalists if he was not exaggerating with the compliments to the American president, the NATO number one replied with a joke: “No, I don’t think. I think it’s a matter of taste”. The Secretary General then motivated the ironic nickname with the role played by Trump in contributing – according to him – to “quell the fight” between Israel and Iran.
